diff --git a/src/hilight.c b/src/hilight.c
index 60708811..46043b01 100644
--- a/src/hilight.c
+++ b/src/hilight.c
@@ -41,7 +41,7 @@ static unsigned int hi_hash(const char *tok)
   return hash;
 }
 
-static struct hilight_hashentry *hilight_hash_free_entry(struct hilight_hashentry *entry)
+static void hilight_hash_free_entry(struct hilight_hashentry *entry)
 {
   struct hilight_hashentry *tmp;
   while(entry) {
@@ -51,7 +51,6 @@ static struct hilight_hashentry *hilight_hash_free_entry(struct hilight_hashentr
     my_free(757, &entry);
     entry = tmp;
   }
-  return NULL;
 }
 
 static void hilight_hash_free(void) /* remove the whole hash table  */
@@ -61,7 +60,8 @@ static void hilight_hash_free(void) /* remove the whole hash table  */
  dbg(2, "hilight_hash_free(): removing hash table\n");
  for(i=0;i<HASHSIZE;i++)
  {
-  xctx->hilight_table[i] = hilight_hash_free_entry( xctx->hilight_table[i] );
+  hilight_hash_free_entry( xctx->hilight_table[i] );
+  xctx->hilight_table[i] = NULL;
  }
 }
 
diff --git a/src/move.c b/src/move.c
index 9f1f4a12..c3a2118c 100644
--- a/src/move.c
+++ b/src/move.c
@@ -494,7 +494,7 @@ void find_inst_to_be_redrawn(int what)
   if(what & 16) {
     my_free(1202, &xctx->inst_redraw_table);
     xctx->inst_redraw_table_size = 0;
-    int_hash_free(xctx->node_redraw_table);
+    if((s_pnetname || xctx->hilight_nets)) int_hash_free(xctx->node_redraw_table);
     return;
   }
   if((s_pnetname || xctx->hilight_nets)) {
diff --git a/src/node_hash.c b/src/node_hash.c
index 883af212..9aef3646 100644
--- a/src/node_hash.c
+++ b/src/node_hash.c
@@ -164,7 +164,7 @@ struct node_hashentry *bus_node_hash_lookup(const char *token, const char *dir,
  return ptr2;
 }
 
-static struct node_hashentry *node_hash_free_entry(struct node_hashentry *entry)
+static void node_hash_free_entry(struct node_hashentry *entry)
 {
   struct node_hashentry *tmp;
 
@@ -179,7 +179,6 @@ static struct node_hashentry *node_hash_free_entry(struct node_hashentry *entry)
     my_free(867, &entry);
     entry = tmp;
   }
-  return NULL;
 }
 
 void node_hash_free(void) /* remove the whole hash table  */
@@ -189,7 +188,8 @@ void node_hash_free(void) /* remove the whole hash table  */
  dbg(2, "node_hash_free(): removing hash table\n");
  for(i=0;i<HASHSIZE;i++)
  {
-  xctx->node_table[i] = node_hash_free_entry( xctx->node_table[i] );
+  node_hash_free_entry( xctx->node_table[i] );
+  xctx->node_table[i] = NULL;
  }
 }
 
diff --git a/src/spice_netlist.c b/src/spice_netlist.c
index 14b44c58..c777b816 100644
--- a/src/spice_netlist.c
+++ b/src/spice_netlist.c
@@ -615,7 +615,7 @@ struct str_hashentry *str_hash_lookup(struct str_hashentry **table, const char *
   }
 }
 
-static struct str_hashentry *str_hash_free_entry(struct str_hashentry *entry)
+static void str_hash_free_entry(struct str_hashentry *entry)
 {
   struct str_hashentry *tmp;
   while( entry ) {
@@ -625,7 +625,6 @@ static struct str_hashentry *str_hash_free_entry(struct str_hashentry *entry)
     my_free(958, &entry);
     entry = tmp;
   }
-  return NULL;
 }
 
 
@@ -635,7 +634,8 @@ void str_hash_free(struct str_hashentry **table)
 
   for(i=0;i<HASHSIZE;i++)
   {
-    table[i] = str_hash_free_entry( table[i] );
+    str_hash_free_entry( table[i] );
+    table[i] = NULL;
   }
 }
 
@@ -700,7 +700,7 @@ struct int_hashentry *int_hash_lookup(struct int_hashentry **table, const char *
   }
 }
 
-static struct int_hashentry *int_hash_free_entry(struct int_hashentry *entry)
+static void int_hash_free_entry(struct int_hashentry *entry)
 {
   struct int_hashentry *tmp;
   while( entry ) {
@@ -709,7 +709,6 @@ static struct int_hashentry *int_hash_free_entry(struct int_hashentry *entry)
     my_free(1172, &entry);
     entry = tmp;
   }
-  return NULL;
 }
 
 
@@ -719,7 +718,8 @@ void int_hash_free(struct int_hashentry **table)
 
   for(i=0;i<HASHSIZE;i++)
   {
-    table[i] = int_hash_free_entry( table[i] );
+    int_hash_free_entry( table[i] );
+    table[i] = NULL;
   }
 }
 
diff --git a/src/token.c b/src/token.c
index c2de4402..7c3b6d20 100644
--- a/src/token.c
+++ b/src/token.c
@@ -57,9 +57,11 @@ int name_strcmp(char *s, char *d) /* compare strings up to '\0' or'[' */
 
 /* 20180926 added token_size */
 /* what:
- * 0,XINSERT : lookup and insert in hash table (return NULL if token was not found)
- *    if token was found update value
-   3,XINSERT_NOREPLACE : same as XINSERT but do not replace existing value if token found.
+ * 0,XINSERT : lookup token and insert xctx->inst[value].instname in hash table
+ *   When inserting token must be set to xctx->inst[value].instname
+ *   (return NULL if token was not found). If token was found update value
+ *   as the table stores only the pointer to xctx->inst[value].instname
+ * 3,XINSERT_NOREPLACE : same as XINSERT but do not replace existing value if token found.
  * 1,XDELETE : delete token entry, return NULL
  * 2,XLOOKUP : lookup only
  */
@@ -83,8 +85,7 @@ static struct inst_hashentry *inst_hash_lookup(char *token, int value, int what,
         *preventry=entry;
         entry->next=NULL;
         entry->hash=hashcode;
-        entry->token = my_malloc(426, token_size + 1);
-        memcpy(entry->token,token, token_size + 1);
+        entry->token = xctx->inst[value].instname; /* do not strdup, store pointer */
         entry->value = value;
       }
       return NULL; /* token was not in hash */
@@ -92,7 +93,6 @@ static struct inst_hashentry *inst_hash_lookup(char *token, int value, int what,
     if( entry->hash==hashcode && !strcmp(token,entry->token) ) { /* found a matching token */
       if(what == XDELETE) {              /* remove token from the hash table ... */
         saveptr=entry->next;
-        my_free(968, &entry->token);
         my_free(969, &entry);
         *preventry=saveptr;
         return NULL;
@@ -107,28 +107,25 @@ static struct inst_hashentry *inst_hash_lookup(char *token, int value, int what,
   }
 }
 
-static struct inst_hashentry *inst_hash_free_entry(struct inst_hashentry *entry)
+static void inst_hash_free_entry(struct inst_hashentry *entry)
 {
   struct inst_hashentry *tmp;
   while( entry ) {
     tmp = entry -> next;
-    my_free(970, &(entry->token));
-    dbg(3, "inst_hash_free_entry(): removing entry %lu\n", (unsigned long)entry);
     my_free(971, &entry);
     entry = tmp;
   }
-  return NULL;
 }
 
 static void inst_hash_free(void) /* remove the whole hash table  */
 {
- int i;
+  int i;
 
- dbg(1, "inst_hash_free(): removing hash table\n");
- for(i=0;i<HASHSIZE;i++)
- {
-   xctx->inst_table[i] = inst_hash_free_entry( xctx->inst_table[i] );
- }
+  dbg(1, "inst_hash_free(): removing hash table\n");
+  for(i=0;i<HASHSIZE;i++) {
+    inst_hash_free_entry( xctx->inst_table[i] );
+    xctx->inst_table[i] = NULL;
+  }
 }
 
 void hash_all_names(int n)